Head of Development

The Academy Center of the Arts seeks a strategic, relationship-driven leader to serve as its next Head of Development. This senior role is responsible for designing and leading a comprehensive fundraising program that fuels the Academy’s artistic vision, educational reach, and community impact. This leader will help ensure the organization not only thrives financially, but continues to serve as a welcoming, vibrant, and essential cultural resource for Lynchburg and the surrounding region.

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, the Head of Development will guide all philanthropic efforts, including major gifts, annual giving, grants, corporate partnerships, campaigns, membership growth, and donor engagement. This is a moment of opportunity for a confident, thoughtful fundraiser who can build momentum, deepen trust with supporters, work collaboratively across the organization, and help position the Academy for long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned advancement professional with proven fundraising leadership, who combines strategic thinking and solid execution with genuine warmth and presence. The individual will be comfortable making bold asks, skilled at listening, proactive in advocacy and stewardship, and motivated by the power of the arts to strengthen communities.

• Define and execute a comprehensive development and fundraising strategy aligned with the Academy’s mission, values, and long-term goals.
• Set clear, achievable fundraising targets and lead efforts to meet or exceed annual and multi-year revenue goals.
• Prepare the organization for future growth, including major initiatives and capital and endowment campaigns.

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors, foundations, and corporate partners, with a focus on annual campaigns and multi-year endowment programs.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the Academy, building authentic relationships with donors, civic leaders, business leaders, and community stakeholders.
• Oversee the creation of compelling cases for support, proposals, and impact communications that connect giving to mission and results.

• Define and execute a comprehensive development and fundraising strategy aligned with the Academy’s mission, values, and long-term goals.
• Set clear, achievable fundraising targets and lead efforts to meet or exceed annual and multi-year revenue goals.
• Prepare the organization for future growth, including major initiatives and capital and endowment campaigns.
• Partner closely with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to strengthen board engagement in fundraising.
• Support and guide board members and Development Committee members in donor cultivation and solicitation, providing tools, coaching, and strategic clarity.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board and engage on appropriate committees to deliver advancement-related reports and insights.

• Lead, mentor, and support the Development team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and shared purpose.
• Oversee Development operations, including creation and management of sound, sustainable budgets; monitoring departmental financial performance; donor systems, gift processing; reporting; and stewardship practices.
• Ensure strong internal systems, policies, and data-driven decision-making across all development activities.

• Collaborate with colleagues across operations, programming, education, marketing, and finance to ensure aligned messaging and integrated revenue strategies.
• Contribute to organizational planning and leadership discussions, bringing a philanthropic perspective to strategic decisions.
• Maintain open, transparent, and timely communication.

• Significant progressive experience, with a minimum of five years, in nonprofit fundraising—ideally within the arts—with demonstrated success in major gifts, relationship-based giving, campaign development, event planning and execution, and membership growth.
• A track record of…